Step-joint.



No. 817,825. PATENTED APR. 17, 1906. G A WEBER STEP JOINT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14. 1905.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

TITE STATES PATENT EETCE.

GEORGE A. I/VEBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,,A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

STEP-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17, 1906.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WEBER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county,-

and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step- Joints, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

'8 invention relates to step-joints, more particularly to an adjustable step-joint in which the rails may be adjusted to each other.

The objects of the invention are to enable rails of different section to be connected with ease and despatch by an adjustable joint which may be ordered without exact regard to the dimensions of the rails, because the joint is capable of a slight adjustment in the field, which enables it to be applied to the rails by changing the relative position of the parts of the joint slightly, if necessary, at one end or at both ends.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and to these ends the invention consists of a step-joint for carrying out the above objects embodying the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a joint adjustable at one end embodying the invention on a line 90 0c of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the joint shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a joint adjustable at both ends, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 3 on the line 1 y.

In those cases in which roads lay rails in various places on their line it is necessary to connect the same with the adjacent rail by a suitable step-joint. One rail is usually of a certain known section, while the other rail varies more or less from the theoretical section, depending on the service it has undergone. Suchrail may be worn down more or less on top of the head, perhaps from onesixteenth of an inch to one-quarter of an inch in extreme cases, and, again, there is usually some wear in the fishing-space underneath the head which has been worn by the anglebars. In fitting up rails due allowance must be made for such wear on the head of the rail, as it affects the height of the step necessary.

Under the present practice in constructing stepjoints the sections of the rail ends should be known, so that the joint may be made to meet the conditions that will eXist in actual track. It is particularly necessary that the actual sections of the old rail as worn should be known, and it is a difficult matter under 'all circumstances to either obtain a piece of the actual old rail or to deter mine its dimensions to be fitted with the joint. If the joint is designed for a given amount of wear, it may be found that at some point not far distant in the same track the wear will be greater or less. Although it may be possible to place the joints in track under such different conditions, there is liability of imperfect fits and resultant breakage.

According to the present invention the joint is so constructed that a slight adjustment of either end or both ends of the joint in the field is permissible by the trackman when he is applying the joints to the rail ends. The joint is so designed that the relative positions of the parts of the joint can be changed sufficiently to enable the joint to be applied to many conditions.

The joint may of course be constructed in many different ways to enable either rail or both rails to be shifted or adjusted vertically relatively to the other, and I have shown but one satisfactory construction in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrations shown.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a step-joint constructed in accordance with this invention in connection with a railchair A, although it is to be understood that the rail-chair itself is not an essential part of the invention, but is shown by way of illustration only.

B and C represent the rail ends of different weight and height or section, as shown, the raij O being the larger and taller of the two ra1 s.

The rails are supported upon the chair, which comprises the base D, the upri ht E, and the spiking rib or flange F, whic also serves to strengthen the chair.

The rail O, as shown, rests upon the base D of the chair, while the shorter rail B is suitably supported to bring it in surface with the rail C. Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the rail B in surfaceas shown in this instance, transverse cleats being arranged on the base of the chair and suitably secured thereto by any desired means.

The channel-bar H between the upright of the chair and the webs of the rails and the angle-bar I at the opposite side of the webs of the rails are constructed in Figs. 1 and 2 to fit within the fishing-space of the larger rail C, as shown in the side view of Fig. 2, and a suitable block J of packing material, preferably wood, is arranged between the channelbar H and the upright E of the chair, while suitable bolts K, provided with nuts L, secure the parts of the joint together.

As shown, the side bars H and I, which may, of course, be of any suitable character to form side bars, not necessarily angle-bars and channel-bars, extend across the joint and are so constructed that the parts of the joint opposite the smaller rail B may be adjusted in height to maintain said rail in surface with the larger rail O. The construction described may be provided for either end or for both ends, as in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown, the ends of the side bars oppo site the rail B do not fit under the heads and on top of the base-flanges of the rails, which permits the rail end to be adjusted vertically relatively to the side bars. In order to maintain the rail in its desired position, filling-pieees or compensating blocks or bars 0 are provided between the side bars and the webs of the rails. These compensating blocks, as shown, bear against the under sides of the heads and on top of the baseflanges of the rails and also against the railwebs.

According to this invention in order to enable the parts of the joint to be adjusted in. height the outer faces of the compensating blocks or bars 0 and the inner faces of the co operating portions of the side bars are toothed or corrugated longitudinally, so that by loosening the bolts K both the rail B and the parts of the joint may be adjusted at the proper height, and then. when the bolts are tightened again the parts are firmly secured in position. If the rail end B should be raised the desired distance and then locked in position by means of the compensatingbars 0 and corrugated side bars, it is also necessary to place additional shims or cleats or other supports beneath the base of the rail to maintain it in its adjusted position.

All the advantages of the ordinary form of step-joint are preserved in accordance with this invention, with the additional advantage of being able to adjust the height of one or both of the rails and adjust the joint in the In Figs. 3 and 4 each end of the joint is made adjustable, so that adjustment may be made for either rail or for both rails. By making both ends of the joint adjustable the range of adjustment is doubled. If one rail is at the limit of its adjustment and still further adjustment is necessary, it may be had from the other end either by raising or lowering the parts of the joint at said end. Either one of the rails may be raised or lowered, and thejoint may be adjusted to accommodate itself to the rails, or else the rails and the parts of the joint may be adjusted together.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the channel-bar H between the upright of the chair and the webs of the rails and the angle-bar I at the op 0- site side of the joint are constructed of ess height than the fishing-spaces between the heads and bases of the rails and do not fit either rail, so that adjustment of the parts of the joint may be had at either or both ends. Fillingieces or compensating blocks or bars 0 and are arranged between the side bars and the webs of the rails and bear against the under sides of the heads and on top of the base-flanges of the rails and also preferably against the rail-webs. The outer faces of the bars 0 and O and the inner faces of the side bars are toothed or corrugated longitudinally, so that by loosening the bolts the parts of the joint and the rails may be adjusted as desired.

I claim and desire to obtain by Patent the following:

1. The combination with the rail ends, of a step-joint, and means for adjusting the height of one of said rails relatively to the other.

2. The combination with the rail ends, of a step-joint, and means for adjusting the height of the parts of said joint.

3. The combination with the rail ends of different height, of a step-joint, and means for adjusting said joint to compensate for variations in the height of one of the rails.

4. The combination. with the rail ends of different weight and height, of a step-joint constructed to maintain said rails in surface and alinement, and means for adjusting the height of the parts of said joint.

5. The combination with the rail ends of different weight and height, a step-joint constructed to compensate for said rails and maintain. them in surface and alinement, and means for compensating for variations in height of one of said rails.

6. The combination Withthe rail ends of different height, side bars at each side of the webs of the rails extending across the joint and constructed to compensate for the differences in the dimensions of the rails, means for adjusting the height of the parts of said. joint, and bolts for securing the parts of the joint together.

Letters 7. The combination with the -rail ends of different height, of side bars constructed to compensate for the differences in dimensions of said rails, compensating bars or blocks arranged between the side bars and the web of one of the rail ends, and means for adjusting the relative height of said side bars and compensating-bars.

8. The combination With the rail ends, of a step joint, and means for adjusting the height of either one or both of said rails.

9. The combination with the rail ends, of a step-joint, and means for adjusting the height of the or both ends.

10. The combination with the rail ends, of a step-joint, and means for adjusting both ends of said joint to accommodate rails of different section.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscriblng Witnesses.

GEORGE A. WEBER. Witnesses:

A. L. OBRIEN, E. VAN ZANDT.

parts of said joint at either end 

